Japanese Proverbs & Idioms – English Translations

Voice sample: AI

馬の骨

うまのほね (uma no hone)

An unknown nobody

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Basic Example

彼はどこの誰とも知れぬ馬の骨だ。

He is an unknown nobody—just a horse’s bone.

Applied Example

あいつ、本当にただの村人？完全に馬の骨じゃないか。

Is he really just a villager? He’s a total unknown nobody.

Voice sample: AI

粉骨砕身

ふんこつさいしん (funkotsu saishin)

To make every possible effort; to devote oneself fully.

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Basic Example

彼は粉骨砕身してプロジェクトを成功させた。

He worked tirelessly to ensure the project’s success.

Applied Example

優勝のために粉骨砕身で戦い抜いた。

He fought with every ounce of his strength for the championship.

Voice sample: AI

風が吹けば桶屋が儲かる

かぜがふけばおけやがもうかる (kaze ga fukeba okeya ga mōkaru)

The law of unintended consequences

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Basic Example

小さな出来事が連鎖して大事件になる、まさに風が吹けば桶屋が儲かるだ。

A small event triggered a chain leading to a big incident—just like the law of unintended consequences.

Applied Example

スライム一匹逃したら城が陥落…風が吹けば桶屋が儲かるだな。

Let one slime escape and the castle falls… the law of unintended consequences.

Voice sample: AI

無駄骨を折る

むだぼねをおる (muda hone o oru)

Barking up the wrong tree

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Basic Example

徹夜で作業したのに採用されず、無駄骨を折った。

I worked all night, but my proposal wasn’t accepted—I barked up the wrong tree.

Applied Example

「これ全部やり直し？…完全に無駄骨を折ったな」

“All of this… and we have to redo it? I totally barked up the wrong tree.”

Voice sample: AI

神出鬼没

しんしゅつきぼつ (shinshutsu kibotsu)

Appearing and disappearing unpredictably.

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Basic Example

その怪盗は神出鬼没で、どこから現れるのかわからない。

The phantom thief appears out of nowhere, impossible to predict.

Applied Example

神出鬼没の動きで相手を翻弄した。

His unpredictable movements confused the opponent — he appeared and disappeared like a phantom.

Voice sample: AI

災い転じて福となす

わざわいてんじてふくとなす (wazawai tenjite fuku to nasu)

Blessing in disguise

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Basic Example

大失敗がきっかけで新しい道が開けた、まさに災い転じて福となすだ。

A big failure opened up a new path—truly a blessing in disguise.

Applied Example

魔王に負けたおかげで仲間が増えた、災い転じて福となすってやつか。

We lost to the demon lord, but gained new allies—a blessing in disguise.

Voice sample: AI

以逸待労

いいつたいろう (ii tsu tairō)

Defeating an enemy by waiting for them to tire while conserving one’s own strength.

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Basic Example

将軍は以逸待労の策で敵軍を疲弊させた。

The general used a strategy of conserving his own strength while waiting for the enemy to tire.

Applied Example

相手を消耗させてから攻める。以逸待労の戦法だ。

He let the enemy tire themselves out before attacking — a strategy of defeating the enemy at one’s ease.

Voice sample: AI

二階から目薬

にかいからめぐすり (nikai kara megusuri)

A roundabout way to do something

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Basic Example

説明が遠回りすぎて、まるで二階から目薬のようだ。

The explanation was so roundabout—it was like trying to apply eye drops from the second floor.

Applied Example

ヒントが回りくどすぎて、二階から目薬って感じだな。

The hint was so indirect—it’s like putting in eye drops from the second floor.

Voice sample: AI

青天白日

せいてんはくじつ (seiten hakujitsu)

Being completely cleared of suspicion; pure and upright.

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Basic Example

彼は無罪を証明され、青天白日の身となった。

He was proven innocent and freed, his name cleared completely.

Applied Example

疑いが晴れ、青天白日の気分を味わった。

His name was cleared, and he felt the clarity of a blue sky and bright sun.

Voice sample: AI

背に腹は代えられぬ

せにはらはかえられぬ (se ni hara wa kaerarenu)

Desperate times call for desperate measures

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Basic Example

背に腹は代えられぬ状況で、貯金をすべて使った。

Desperate times call for desperate measures, so I used all my savings.

Applied Example

「背に腹は代えられぬ！この一撃に全魔力を注ぐ！」

“Desperate times call for desperate measures! I’ll pour all my magic into this strike!”